When some of the Valley’s most innovative nonprofits take the stage next month in the annual Fast Pitch competition, they’ll be doing it in front of a distinguished panel of judges that includes prominent sports, business and community leaders. This year’s panel is headlined by Arizona Diamondbacks legend Luis Gonzalez, Phoenix’s First Lady Nicole Stanton and Local First Arizona founder Kimber Lanning — to name just a few.
Fast Pitch goes like this: You are an innovative nonprofit and you need cash. Up to $52,000 in multiple grants is on the line for best pitch. You have three minutes. GO! It dares to ask the question: “How can you change the world in three minutes?”
It culminates in a live, showcase event March 4 at the Tempe Center for the Arts, where eight early-stage nonprofits, along with one student group from Arizona State University, will compete for the cash grants — plus thousands more raised that evening by community leaders, business executives and philanthropists looking to invest in the nonprofits.
The event is presented by Social Venture Partners Arizona (SVPAZ), whose entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy offers partners an innovative way to give of their time and talents, as well as donate funds to nonprofit organizations focusing on children and education. The “partners” who join SVPAZ operate like venture capitalists, providing infrastructure building skills and resources to promising non-profit organizations.
Tickets for the March 4 event can be purchased at www.FastPitchsvpaz.org.
Here is the full judges panel:
Pearl Chang Esau, President & CEO, Expect More Arizona
Luis Gonzalez, Arizona Diamondbacks
Rick Jones, COO, CopperPoint Mutual Insurance
Michael Kelly, Manager, Kelly Consulting Alliance
Kimber Lanning, Entrepreneur and CEO, Local First Arizona
Paul Luna, CEO, Helios Foundation
Rick McCartney, President & CEO, InMedia
MaryAnn Miller, Senior VP Human Resources & Corporate Communications, AVNET
Nicole Stanton, Managing Partner, Quarles & Brady
